An internet-accessible knowledge system on spatial evaluation of the habitat of meadow birds

• Main Authors: B. Vanmeulebrouk, T. C. P Melman, H. A. M. Meeuwsen, M. A. Kiers, S. B. Hoek
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: black-tailed godwit; Limosa limosa
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.582.2380; http://www.mssanz.org.au/modsim09/F4/schotman.pdf

Abstract: Effective management for nature conservation needs a basis in scientific research and a careful communication of the knowledge to the workers in the field. This is especially the case in agri-environmental schemes, where nature conservation is to be combined with agricultural production. The Netherlands form a vital part of the natural habitat of a well-known meadow bird, the black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa). A large portion of the European population is breeding in the Netherlands, but numbers are declining rapidly. Therefore, farmers united in agricultural nature conservation groups formulate management schemes to manage their meadows in a mode which is beneficial for the black-tailed godwit. For meadow birds there is a long lasting discussion on this subject, with questions like: what are the minimum conditions which have to be fulfilled? What are the possibilities within agriculture and how does this relate to nature reserves? What area is needed to reach the pre-defined goals? The today’s view is that a so-called mosaic-management is needed, an alternation of several growth stages and type of use, in space and time. In practice there is a gap between scientists and workers in the field how an effective mosaic is defined. To bridge this gap, Alterra’s experts on meadow birds have used ArcGIS to develop a knowledge system. This knowledge system is a spatially explicit model to assess the effectiveness of management schemes in